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I am not my Mom

It’s been a while since my last post. And in-between, many things happened. One of these is playing a host to a visitor from the United States.

Our visitor is a black American girl aging 14 years old. Her mother, also a black American, was born in the Philippines but speaks Tagalog fluently. Siyempre, to break the ice, the usual questions about herself including whether or not understands and speaks the Filipino. Her response was on the negative. A result of recklessness or for lack of something to say I asked, “But I heard your mother speak in Tagalog …” And before I added “didn’t she teach you?” she cut my question and said “I am not my mom”.

Tama naman. Why should we look for the mother in the person of her child?

That’s right attybenji! I like the last one the most.
“I’m not my mom”-or my dad- is a typical adolescent response to such situations. It was just a bad timing for our friend J.A. Carrizo asking this girl at age 14. If she were 20 or so she would have answered differently. At this age, the young person orients her/himself more with his peer and other media idols than with her/his own parents. This is normal in her case, nothing to worry about.
I worry more with this Madam Gloria. It is pathological at this age to be fixated to the adolescent stage- and to be president of a nation it is disastrous! Such a leader stunts the growth of the whole nation- except the opposition.

I discovered your internet site via an ask jeeves search of all places! I can’t believe that internet site is still around! Well, thanks for the post. I will save it for future reference.” I am not my Mom” post in Bik-Lish” is NICE!! That title is perfect. I’ll keep coming back for sure in case you post more. Keep it up! Donn Hanley